Alleged Marginalisation: Edo Group Appears Before Reps Panel As Minister Shuns C’ttee

Some members of the Benin National Congress (BNC) and other prominent Benin indigenes have insisted that for the interest of peace, fairness and justice, the Oil and Gas producing areas of Edo South Senatorial Zone of Edo State deserve to be allocated 70 per cent of capital projects as against the alleged marginalisation perpetrated against them in the distribution of projects by the Federal Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

The demand was contained in a letter submitted to the chairman of House of Representatives Committee on Public Petitions, Hon. Mike Etaba, and made available to journalists.

The letter was sequel to an earlier petition to the House by the BNC against the Minister of Niger Delta Affairs, Hon. Abubakar Momoh, over allegation of unfair project distributions and side-lining Edo South by the Ministry.

The letter presented to the Committee chairman was titled, “Our Grouse With the 2024 Capital Project Appropriations by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.”

However, the committee was said to have expressed disappointment at the non-appearance of the minister nor any of his representatives before it and threatened to explore constitutional powers against the minister if he fails to appear at the next hearing on the matter.

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Recall that the President of Benin National Congress, Aiyamenkhue Edokpolo, had filed a petition against the minister of the Niger Delta Affairs against the alleged marginalisation of oil-bearing communities in Edo South.

The petition was adopted by the member representing Egor/Ikpoba-Okha federal constituency of Edo State, Hon. Murphy Omoruyi, who presented same to the House at plenary.

Parts of the letter by the BNC, which contained its demands regarding the 2024 budget, read, “The letters and spirit of the said budget offend clearly the core mandate of the Ministry, as it concerns the interest of the aforementioned oil/gas producing localities of Edo State which were gravely undermined and/or spitefully neglected.

“That the capital projects allocation or appropriation be reviewed with a clear 70% (seventy per cent) to 30% (thirty per cent) distribution formula in favour of Edo State oil/gas producing/host communities.

“That 70% (seventy per cent) to 30% (thirty per cent) distribution formula be made standard practice in the Ministry’s future budgeting and/or appropriation. That a mechanism be instituted for Needs Assessment in the relevant oil/gas producing/host communities among others.”

They further added, “The minister should be called to order to stop this anti-Benin tendency that he is doing. We welcome his appointment as the minister. Of course, it is the prerogative of Mr President to choose a minister from anywhere.

“We are not against his appointment, but to do that completely marginalises Edo South and is completely unacceptable. Our youths are boiling and to avoid the tendency of them resorting to self-help, we chose to come to the National Assembly.”